John Waldie

John Waldie (22 April 1833 – 12 June 1907) was a Canadian politician and businessman.

Biography Born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, he moved to Canada West when still a youth. When the rest of his family moved to Huron County to establish a farm, he decided to remain in Nelson Township, becoming a prominent wheat merchant. He was Reeve of Nelson Township for two years, that year, He would acquire further mills in his lifetime, including one in Spragge, Ontario just one month before his death.

He was also the President of two tanneries, located at Collingwood and Burk's Falls, and was a director on the boards of the Toronto Paper Company (operating in Cornwall) and the Canada Coating Mills (located in Georgetown).

Waldie was also a director of the Bank of Toronto, and had also been vice-president of the Landed Banking and Loan Company in Hamilton, Ontario, which later became part of Canada Permanent Trust.

He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Member of the Liberal Party in the 1887 election to represent the riding of Halton, later being re-elected in 1888, but defeated in the elections of 1891 and 1896. In that time, he developed a close friendship with Wilfrid Laurier, which proved useful after he left office.

Electoral record